o sit
six, or even two years, with such extensive powers as the new system
proposes, and their friendship will be well worth a purchase. This is the
only sense in which the Philadelphia system will render us more
respectable in the eyes of foreigners. In every other view they lose their
respect for us, as it will render us more like their own degraded models.
It is a maxim with them, that every man has his price. If, therefore, we
were to judge of what passes in the hearts of the federalists when they
urge us, as they continually do, _to be like other nations_, and when they
assign mercenary motives to the opposers of their plan, we should conclude
very fairly they themselves wish to be provided for at the publick
expense. However that may be, if we look upon the men we shall find some
of their leaders to have formed pretty strong attachments to foreign
nations. Whether those attachments arose from their being educated under a
royal government, from a former unfortunate mistake in politicks, or from
the agencies for foreigners, or any other cause, is not in my province to
determine. But certain it is that some of the principal fomenters of this
plan have never shown themselves capable of that generous system of policy
which is founded in the affections of freemen. Power and high life are
their idols, and national funds are necessary to support them.

Some of the principal powers of Europe have already entered into treaties
with us, and that some of the rest have not done it, is not owing, as is
falsely pretended, to the want of power in Congress. Holland never found
any difficulty of this kind from the multitude of sovereignties in that
country, which must all be consulted on such an occasion. The resentment
of Great Britain for our victories in the late war has induced that power
to restrain our intercourse with their subjects. Probably an hope, the
only solace of the wretched, that their affairs would take a more
favourable turn on this continent, has had some influence on their
proceedings. All their restrictions have answered the end of securing our
independence, by driving us into many valuable manufactures. Their own
colonies in the mean time have languished for want of an intercourse with
these states. The new settlement in Nova Scotia has miserably decayed, and
the West India Islands have suffered for want of our supplies, and by the
loss of our market. This has affected the revenue; and, however
contemptuously s